Consumer court awards ₹16.5 lakh to student for medical negligence at Sangareddy hospital
SANGAREDDY: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Medak, has held MNR Medical College Hospital guilty of medical negligence and deficiency in service, directing it to pay ₹16.55 lakh to a 24 year old student who suffered permanent vision impairment following nasal surgery.
Surgery complication led to permanent eye damage
According to the order, Banoth Naveen, a resident of Medak district, underwent septoplasty with functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) at the hospital on December 19, 2023, for nasal obstruction. During the procedure, the medial wall of the right orbit was violated, resulting in injury to the medial rectus muscle and subsequent double vision, restricted eye movement and reduced visual acuity.
The commission noted that the hospital itself admitted the occurrence of orbital wall violation during surgery and the post operative complications that followed.
Hospital failed to produce key medical records
The bench observed that despite claiming the complication was a known surgical risk and that informed consent had been obtained, the hospital failed to produce crucial documents, including consent forms, intra-operative notes, surgical records and credentials of the operating surgeons.
The complainant was referred to multiple tertiary care centres, including Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Yashoda Hospital and Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai. The hospital also admitted to having borne ₹1,31,556 towards corrective treatment outside its facility.
Compensation scaled to proven loss
Rejecting the hospital’s contention that treatment under the Aarogyasri scheme barred a consumer complaint, the commission held that beneficiaries of government health schemes are consumers under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Finding that the hospital failed to discharge its burden of proof after prima facie negligence was established, the commission awarded:
₹15 lakh as compensation for medical negligence, permanent disability, pain, suffering and loss of future prospects;
₹1.50 lakh towards medical, diagnostic and travel expenses; and
₹5,000 as litigation costs.
The hospital has been directed to comply with the order within 30 days.
